The Rhode

Sir,

Enclosed is a photograph of the Rhode I used in the summer of 1972. This was a 1922, 9.5 h.p., o.h.c. It only had a single brake drum on the o/s rear, operated by the foot; the handbrake was a prop. shaft, an arrangement which, if used whilst the vehicle was in motion, presented problems with the coupling. It tore it in shreds. Smoke from the engine was another problem, the Cox

Atmos carburetter tested one’s patience. This particular car had no starter motor, the combination of this type of carburetter and no starter, plus the smoke, had to be experienced. Solid back axle, 710 x 90 tyres, direct steering, poor lock, hit a bump and the prop. comes out of the spline. The experiences I had with this car are far too numerous to relate, but I had no bad experiences with the rockers. Was I lucky? I must say it was hard work overhauling the units, without the aid of colleagues in the George Stephenson College and friends, maybe the car would never have been alive again.

The photograph in February Motor Sport, I believe to be a 1924; the lights are wrong for a 1922 (if you look at the photographs of mine, you will see they are Brolt headlamps with a single filament bulb, which you could burn bright or dim. The dynamo and cut-out were also Brolt), plus the screen fittings—they seem to be incorrect but perhaps I am wrong. There seem to be few people about who know much about these particular cars and the snags that go with them.

Unfortunately W.13.’s name does not appear on the Log Book. I know of three Rhodes; they are all in Cornwall, but to my knowledge none of these is your old car.

I look forward to the correspondence on this subject, perhaps as much as I look forward to Motor Sport each month.

Watford K. C. Streeter